I would have done more than one photo but this was the only one that would upload. And that's entirely fine by me because from my perspective, this photo shows the most meaning about the human spirit. It mostly represents growth and the everlasting feeling of life. Generally when you think about trees, you think of strong, sturdy wood supporting thousands of bright green leaves. We forget about what's really on the inside, which is similar to human nature. We put on this outer layer of emotion that shows that we're tough, we can make it through our lives, but deep down on the inside, we have to commit ourselves to growing and becoming something prideful in the end. A pine tree specifically is a perfect connection to the human spirit because unlike how most trees fade away in the winter, the pine tree remains thriving through the cold times. The human spirit stays enlightened, no matter how far down it is pushed or shoved aside. It will always remain determined and strong.
I think trees are so often used poetically or metaphorically because they are images of strength. I really liked how you elaborated on this idea with the specific example of the pine tree in the cold and the consideration of the growth occurring within the tree. The bark is a great visual of the "outer layer of emotion that shows that we're tough." In the book that I am reading for book club, The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, there is a character, Taylor, who is a very strong woman. Your blog post caused me to consider what growth is occurring within Taylor's fortitude.
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